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$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
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¨¨^==$£#@@ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# AND A GIFT SHOP. #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## CONSIDERED POOR. ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ SOME ARE SHATTERED. £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# $$ #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ $$ $$ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ ======= $ $ ======= $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== $$ $$ ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ $$ $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ LIT FROM BEHIND. $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# $$ #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ $$ $$ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ ======= $ $ ======= $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== $$ $$ ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ $$ $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# FLOOR. #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# BECOME STILL. #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ $$ @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# $$ $$ #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ ======= $ $ ======= £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ $$ $$ $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== $$ ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, @@#£$==^¨¨
¨^==$£#@@# CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST #@@#£$==^¨
^==$£#@@## FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ##@@#£$==^
¨^==$£#@@# SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, #@@#£$==^¨
¨¨^==$£#@@ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. @@#£$==^¨¨
¨¨¨^==$£#@ @#£$==^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #£$==^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^== I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ==^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^==$ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? $==^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^==$£ £$==^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^==$£# I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. #£$==^¨¨¨¨
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